Thumb-latch for doors.



Y. 16.592,827. Patented Feb.

H.'cHEsHE|-:.

THUMB LATCH FOR DDDRS.

(Application filed June 12, 1901.)-

(No Modal.)

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NITRD STATES PATENT Ormea.f

HARRY cHEsHnR, oF PHILADELPHIA, PEruvsYLvANIA.-v

`rHulvlB-LATCH lFOR DovoRs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 692,827', dated February 11, 1902.

Application led June 12, 1901..-

city of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Inn-- provements in Thumb-Latches for Doors, of Which the following is a full, clear, and exact descri ption ,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming `part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in door-latches;'and the principal object of the said invention is to provide means for preventing the latch-lever or its handle from being removed from the door from the outside by unscrupulous persons.-

With t-his end in view the invention consists in providinga latch-lever having a groove or grooves provided on its side intermediate its length, the said grooves being adaptedto engage a slotted keeper which is secured on the interior face of the door, thereby preventing the said latch-lever from being withdrawn through the slot in the door after the handle on the outside of the door is unscrewed or removed therefrom.

Myv invention further consistsvin the combination and arrangement ofthe parts, such as hereinafter fully set forth,and particularly pointed out in the claims made hereto.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation illustrating a portion of the door having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the interior face of a door, illustrating the projecting inner end of the latchlever, also the keeper, the latch -bar -being omitted.

j In the said drawings, 1 designates a door or gate, which is provided with a slotted opening 2, adapted to receive the latch-lever 3. The outside of the door is provided with a grip or handle 4, of the usual construction, having flanges 5,which are secured to the door by means of the usual screws 6. The upper flange of the handle is provided with a rectangular slot or opening 7, which is in line with the transverse slot 2 in the door and through which the latch-lever 3 passes, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The latch-lever 3 is of the usual construction found in devices of this character, hav- Serial No.64,263. (N0 model.)4 r' v veut the latch-lever from being WithdrawnVA through the said slot 7 except when the 1ever is tiltedupwardly at such an angle as tor `allo\v the shoulder 9 to pass throughthe slot 7. This lever 3 cannot be tilted sufficiently to withdraw it. from the slot 7 so long as the handle is secured in its position on the interior'of the door.

` In order to prevent the latch-lever Strom.u l

being withdrawn through the slot 2 in the door in the event of the handle 4 being unscrewed,`l provide the sides of the said leverv with the grooves 11, a-number of said grooves beine' rovided so as to accommodate doors s D a .of different thicknesses. A keeper 12 is provided,.having a slot13 extending from its upper edge to a point about central of the said keeper, the said slot fitting in the grooves 1l, as illustrated in Fig. 2. o The grooves 11 areI of a sufficient widthtoa'llow the latch-lever 3 to be tilted Lfor the purpose of lifting the bolt 14.

It will thus be seen that in my construc- -tion it will be impossible to withdraw theA latch-lever from the outside of the door even if the handle et were unscrewed and removed from the door, as the shoulders formed by the grooves 11 Wouldabut against the flat face of the keeper 12 and preventv its withdrawal. Y The handle 4 would also be protected, because Vit couldnot be removed from the latch-lever by reason of the th umh-piece 8, which is much wider than the width of the slot, 7, and therefore could lnot be withdrawn without the latch-lever being withdrawn with it.

I am aware that the latch construction is an old and well-known device, and only desire to claim the features as herein set forth -for retaining the latch-lever in its position,

and thus preventing the removal of the latchlever and its handle by unscrupulous persons. Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

IOS

l. In :L door-latch, the combination of a latch-lever adapted to pass through a slot in the door, a slotted keeper ou the outside of the door which forms a bearing for the thumblatch, grooves formed in the latch-lever adjacent the inner face of the door, and a. keeper adapted to engage the said grooves, for the i purpose described.

2. In a door-latch, the combination of a. Y

latch-lever adapted to pass through a slot in the door, :t handle secured to the outside ot' the door having a slotted extension through 

